FAO Schwarz
FAO Schwarz is an American toy brand and retail chain known for its high‑end toys, life‑size stuffed animals, interactive experiences, and famous dancing piano inspired by the movie Big. It was started in 1862 in Baltimore by Frederick August Otto Schwarz, originally called Toy Bazaar, and soon moved to New York City. The store grew to become one of the oldest toy retailers in the United States and has long published a holiday catalog each year.
Over the years, FAO Schwarz changed owners several times and expanded to many locations. It faced financial trouble in the early 2000s, filed for bankruptcy in 2003, and closed its landmark Fifth Avenue store in 2004. Toys “R” Us bought the brand in 2009 and added FAO Schwarz boutiques inside its stores. In 2016, ThreeSixty Group acquired the brand and reopened it with a new flagship at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City in 2018, along with other locations around the world.
Today, the FAO Schwarz name is owned by the FAO Schwarz Family Foundation and licensed to ThreeSixty Group, which runs the stores. FAO Schwarz sells its own products and carries brands like Steiff, Melissa & Doug, and Build‑A‑Bear. The store remains famous for its large plush toys, the Piano Dance Mat, and immersive toy experiences. It has expanded to locations in the United States and abroad, including Chicago, London, Beijing, Dublin, Milan, and Paris.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 05:24 (CET).